The history of the physician's legal duties has been traced from the first recorded writings of the Babylonian era to the present day. There has been a transition from the days of absolute liability to the modern idea of liability based on culpability. The doctrine of stare decisis developed in early English law forms the very backbone of our own jurisprudence.Broadly, if a physician renders reasonable care and skill, he is absolved from liability. Some of the more important legal duties and proscriptions applying to physicians are discussed in particular in this presentation.